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Magical Miracle Quads: ‘I defied doctors who told me to abort two of my quads’: Mum celebrates first birthday of her miracle babies

This is an amazing story of the obstinate love of a mother, she wouldn’t give up any of her babies even when she was told the drastic procedure would give the other tots a better chance of survival but she told medics she had no intention of sacrificing any of them.A mum who bravely defied doctors when they urged her to abort two of her ­quadruplets has celebrated the first ­birthdays of four healthy boys.

Emma Robbins was told the drastic procedure would give the other tots a better chance of survival.But she told medics she had no… intention of sacrificing any of them.And Emma’s instincts were proved right, after adorable Zachary, Joshua, Reuben and Sam were conceived naturally at odds of 750,000 to one.

She said: “I’d be lying if I said it was easy, but we’re so glad we never gave up on our babies.”Emma, 31, and husband Martin, 39, already had a son, Luke, three, when a scan revealed the shock news she was expecting quads – including identical twins.But a consultant warned the couple they should consider terminating some or all of the babies.Emma said: “He told us the risks were so high it would put me in danger – and the babies too.“I ­instinctively clutched my bump. An overwhelming sense of love rushed through me and I told him we were keeping all four of them.”

Ex-project manager Emma told how she was repeatedly advised to abort the twins on later scans.She said: “I felt under immense pressure and I was getting angry.“Each time I went to the hospital it was all about the risks and asking me to consider aborting the twins to save the other two babies.“But I knew each time I looked at my surviving babies, I’d also be thinking about the ones I’d lost – the thought of it broke my heart.”The babies arrived after Emma went into labour two months before her due date.Reuben was first to be delivered by caesarean, at 2lb 14oz, followed by Zachary, 2lb 8oz, his twin Joshua, 3lb 1oz, and finally Sam, 2lb 13oz.

The boys, who Emma calls her “little miracle Peter Pans”, spent two months in hospital before they could be taken home to St George, Bristol.Emma added: “We had to turn our lounge into the nursery and would take turns to sleep down there.“With four breast feeds to ­coordinate every four hours, day and night as well as bottles, 30 nappy changes and endless baths, life was exhausting.”And the growing boys now provide their own challenges. Emma added: “When they’re all in the buggy together it weighs 10 stone. Pushing it is a serious workout.”The family celebrated the quads’ landmark day on Sunday.But as they were born on February 29 – a 3.5 million to one chance – they can only mark their true birthday on Leap Years.